Rope-clamp



(No Model.)

I. B. MOKENNEY.

- ROPE CLAMP.

' No. 464,942. Patented Dec. 8, 1891.

Witness s:

L fm 7M Fi n4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI E.

FRED l3. MCKENNEY, OF LINCOLN, MAINE.

ROPE-CLAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 464,942, dated December8, 1891.

Application filed March 13, 1891- Serial No. 384,943. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRED B. MCKENNEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lincoln, in the county of Penobscot and State of Maine, haveinvented a new and useful Rope- Clamp; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tmake and use the same.

My invention relates to a new and useful clamp for various purposes, andis illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification, in which-- Figure 1 represents an isometric view of myinvention complete. Fig. 2 shows a similar view of the double rack withoperatingscrew forming part of my device. Fig.3 is an isometric view ofthe sliding jaw of my invention, showing the guides andretainingsprings. Fig. 4 represents a plan of one of thepartially-toothed cams used in my invention.

Similar letters of reference refer to correspondingly like partsthroughout the different figures.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, efficient, andquick-acting clamp having great power and adapted to be used for variouspurposes, such as temporary ropesplices, hauling-clamp, temporaryguy-fasteners, &c.

My invention is constructed inthe following manner:

Referring to the drawings, A represents the rectangular-shaped case ofmy device, which incloses the working mechanism. This case A isconstructed with its stationary jaw g, forming a part thereof, beingcast thereon with openings e 6 between the said jaw and the ends of theside projections of the case. \Vithin the openings 0 e and extending1ongitudinally through the case Ain a direction parallel with thestationary jaw g is the movable or sliding jaw F, constructed withrightangular projecting guides b 19 near each end thereof at suchlocation as to be adapted to extend into grooves Z, cut in the sides ofthe case A to receive them. These guides 12 b are preferably constructedof round material having a head on one end similar to a bolt and itsopposite end rigidly fastened into the sliding jaw F, as shown in Fig. 3of the drawings. This construction will allow spiral springs s s to beplacedon the guides b b for the purpose of retracting the sliding jaw Fwhen released by the operating mechanism of my device. This operatingmechanism, wherein great power is attained, consists of twopartially-toothed cams B B, adapted to mesh into a double rack O,operated by a screw E, which latter is turned by a wrench or convenienthandle independently or permanently attached, the head of theoperatingscrew projecting outside of the inclosing case A. The doublerack G is located at the center of. the case A and extends transverselyacross the same, sliding in grooves made to receive and guide itsmovement. This rack O is preferably formed and retained'in position bymeans of ribs d (1, cast upon opposite sides and extending its entirelength, which ribs engage grooves cut in the bottom and top of the caseA and prevent any lateral play. the center of one end of the double rackO. is a threaded hole, extending longitudinally through the rack, ofsuiiicient sizeto receive the threaded portion of the operating-screw E,within which the latter turns in operating my device, as willhereinafter be explained.

The operating-screw E represents an ordinary machine-screw having asquare head, which extends outside of the case A, and a threaded lengthequal to the length of the double rack O. A hole is drilled through theside of the case A at the proper place to allow the threaded portion toenter the threaded hole in the double rack O, and a groove or collarmade in the operating-screw E just inside of the case, or othersufficient means provided to prevent the said screw from withdrawingwhen turned in either direction.

Located each side of and meshing into the double rack G are thepartially-toothed cams B B, confined in the case A by their axles M,which enter holes drilled to receive them. These cams B B are providedwith gear-teeth for nearly one-half their circumferences, the toothedportions being of equal radiuses and teeth corresponding in cut with theteeth of the double rack O. The remaining portions of the circumferencesof the cams B B are of increasing radiuses until points are reachedopposite the commencement of the gear-teeth,

where a shoulder is formed, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4c of the drawings.The cams 13 mesh into opposite sides of the double rack 0, when one endof the latter is in close contact with the side D of the case A, in suchmanner that the shoulders or longest radiuses of the said cams pointtoward each other and bear against the opposite end of the rack. In thisposition the sliding jaw F of my device will be open to its utmost andbe retained againstthe peripheries of the cams B B by the ten sion ofthe spiral springs s 8' upon the jaw guides 17 b. It can now be readilyunderstood that by turning the operating-screw E by attaching; a wrenchor handle to its protruding head the revolving of the screw will forcethe double rack 0 forward, impartingmotion to the cams B B, which, inrevolving, by the means of their ever-increasing radiuses coming incontact with the sliding jaw F, force the latter forward until itsgreatest extension is reached, and thus reduce the space between the twojaws of my device. By reversing the motion of the operating-screw E thedouble rack- O is drawn outward to ward the side D of the case A and theearns 13 B turned in the opposite direction, when the tension-springs ss will tend to keep the sliding jaw F in contactwith the diminishingcam-surface of the earns 13, and thus the jaw will be opened.

My invention can be readily used for a temporary rope-splice by placingthe pieces between the jaws g and F and turning the screw E untilsufficiently clamped. When used for hoisting purposes, my clamp can beattached to any portion of the hoisting-rope without the necessity ofknotting the latter, and should the load at any time overcome the horsesthe latter can be immediately released and prevented from being drawnbackward by turning the handle attached to the head of theoperating-screw E, which will unfasten the said clamp from thehoisting-rope and prevent an accident from spoiling the horses.

To facilitate attaching to myinvention when used for'drafting purposes,loops ff may be cast upon or otherwise attached to one end of the clampor case A, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings, to which chains can behooked into to attach the horses.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. An improved clamp consisting of the case A, having jaw g castthereon, the sliding jaw F, operated by partially-toothed cams B B,meshed into a double rack O, operated by the turning of the screw E, allsubstantially in the manner shown, and for the purpose set forth anddescribed.

2. An improved clamp consisting of the

